Albany Tech breaks ground for new pedestrian bridge over Slappey Boulevard

ALBANY — Albany Technical College broke ground Wednesday on a pedestrian bridge over Slappey Boulevard that will connect its east and west campuses. The bridge will make crossing the busy thoroughfare safer for students and may allow for the college to expand to the west.

Albany Tech requested the bridge during the last SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Sales Tax) VI vote as a public safety item for the campus. Tech officials say that not only will the bridge provide a safe means for pedestrians with a need to conduct business on either side of South Slappey Boulevard, it will facilitate future growth of the college.

The college is currently landlocked except for the west side of South Slappey Boulevard. As the college continues to grow, officials say, the only viable option for expansion will be in that direction.

“We know the only way to grow the campus in the future is to go across South Slappey, but the bridge should also enhance our business neighbors’ offerings as well with the added safety,” said ATC President Anthony Parker.

The $1.3 million project is a collaboration of ATC, the city of Albany and Dougherty County. The bridge will connect the main campus to the college’s Manufacturing Technology Center on the west side of Slappey. Parker estimates that 70 students have to cross the roadway each day.

“This bridge has been six years in the making and there were a lot of moving parts involved involving local SPLOST money, the city and the county, and is an example of the collaboration between local governments and the college,” Parker said. “We want to make it as safe as possible for our students to get across Slappey.”

Parker said work on the bridge’s foundations would begin soon, with the bridge being prefabricated at another location. The bridge will then be trucked to the college and placed by two large cranes. He said the work should be completed by March.

“We have skin in the game now,” Parker said, “so does the city and the county, and everyone will benefit.”